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Release date: 12/28/2004.
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"A New England clam chowder, made as it should be, is a dish to preach about, to chant praises and sing hymns and burn incense before. To fight for. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought for--or on--clam chowder; part of it at least, I am sure it was. It is as American as the Stars and Stripes, as patriotic as the national Anthem. it is 'Yankee Doodle in a kettle.'"--Joseph C. Lincoln


New England Clam Chowder

(American)

It's definitely soup as a meal and decidedly New England, USA. Serve hot to 4 people.
Soup Tale:"'Queequeg, said I, "do you think that we can make out a supper for us both on one clam?' However, a warm savory steam from the kitchen served to belie the apparently cheerless prospect before us. But when that smoking chowder came in, the mystery was delightfully explained. Oh sweet friends! hearken to me. It was made of small juicy clams, scarcely bigger than hazel nuts, mixed with pounded ship biscuit, and salted pork cut up into little flakes; the whole poached with butter, and plentifully seasoned with pepper and salt."--Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Fry bacon in a large saucepan. When it's crisp, take out the bacon. Put the onion and celery into the bacon grease and saute til it's translucent. Stir in the flour, then pour in the fish stock and stir til it's thickened. Dump in the potatoes and seafood seasoning, bring to a boil, cover, turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the milk, cream, clams, and clam liquid, then take it off the fire til you're ready to serve it. When it's time to eat, heat through, ladle into big bowls, and crumble the bacon on top.

SoupTale: "Clam Soup" by W. A. Croffut, ed. of "American Queen"

First catch your clams--along the ebbing edges
Of saline coves you'll find the precious wedges,
With backs up, lurking in the sandy bottom;
Pull in your iron rake, and lo! you've got 'em!
Take thirty large ones, put a basin under,
And cleave, with knife, their stony jaws asunder;
Add water (three quarts) to the native liquor,
Bring to a boil, (and, by the way, the quicker
It boils the better, if you'd do it cutely.)
Now add the clams, chopped up and minced minutely.
Allow a longer boil of just three minutes,
And while it bubbles, quickly stir within its
Tumultuous depths where still the mollusks mutter,
Four table-spoons of flour and four of butter,
A pint of milk, some pepper to your notion,
And clams need salting, although born of ocean.
Remove from fire; (if much boiled they will suffer--
You'll find that India-rubber is n't tougher.)
After 'tis off, add three fresh eggs, well-beaten,
Stir once more, and it's ready to be eaten.
Fruit of the wave! O, dainty and delicious!
Food for the gods! Ambrosia for Apicius!
Worthy to thrill the soul of sea-born Venus,
Or titillate the palate of Silenus!